Trolley-shoe



w. F. FREEMAN.

money sum-3.

APPLICATION FI LED APR. l5. L921.

1,383,797. Patented Jul 5,1921.

UNITED STATES PATENT QFIF E- WALTER r. FREEMAN, or srmner-innn, mmense-ms.

TROLLEY-SHOE.

Specification of Letters Patent. 7

aten e y 5; 921-1 Original application filed March 5, 1921, Serial No. 449,681. ZDivMed and'this applicationg filed Aprfl 15,

To all whom/it may concern:

Be it known that I, WALTER FREEMAN,

a citizen of the United States of America,

and a resident of Springfield, in the county of Hampden and State of Massachusetts,

have invented a new and useful Trolley Shoe, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in followers or shoes with Which the upper ends of trolley poles are or may be equipped, the same being a divisional part of my application for Letters Patent of the United States, filed March 5, 1921, Serial No. 449,681, and

consists essentially of a body which is adapted to be mounted on the axle of either a trolley-pole harp or a trolley-harp extension, and a separable and removable runner secured to said body by means of the axle upon which the latter is mounted, together with such other parts and members as may be necessary or desirable in Order to render the device complete inevery respect, all as hereinafter set forth.

Although this device is herein termed a shoe, by which is understood a device primarily intended to be substituted for a trolley wheel to run on an overhead trolley wire, the same may serve in thecapacity of a scraper for removing snow and ice from such wire. V

The shoe is designed to be mounted to rock on its axial support.

It is customary to mount a upper end of a trolley pole, or in anvextensionvof such a harp, which poleis caused to assume an approximately erect or upright position by means of springs, so'that said shoe is held against the overhead wire, in which location the shoe follows said who as said pole moves withthe car. Itwillbe seen therefore, that the, wire-engaging parts 0 the shoe must necessarily wear out in a comparatively short time, so that the ordinary shoe has tobe discarded and a new one subshoe of this character in a harp that is attached at'the Serial No. 461,520.

part,'when; worn out, need be discarded;

. sections so that only the wire-engaging Another object of myinvention is to p'rovide a strong and durable-shoe ofthis 'char-:

acter with convenient and efficient means .for

holding the separable-parts together, and II for releasing them, when. the wire-engaging part becomes worn to an extent that renders further use undesirable, so that a new part can be readily substituted for theworn part;

the axial member oraxle,:upon.which this shoe is-mounted,'being utilized as the lock for the removable part,- it is a'verysim le matter to engage and disengage the separa 1e elements.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the course of the following description.

I attain the objectsv and secure the'advantages of my invention bythe means illus trated in the accompanying drawings, in

which' Figure 1 is a top plan ofa shoe which embodies a practical form of my invention,

such shoe being reprcs'entedas mounted in the bifurcated portion. of a trolley-poleiharp or trolley-harp extension; Fig. 2, a side elevation of said shoe, with a fragment of one of the armsof said bifurcated portion; .elevationof the-shoe runner, and, Fig. 5, a central longitudinal vertical section through -the permanent part or body of the shoe, into.

3, a rear elevation of saidshoe; Fig. 4:,a si

which and with which said runner isadapted to fit and to be securely connected, and

from which it maybe disconnected and .re-

. moved.

Similar reference characters} designate 1 :similar parts throughout the several views In Fig. 1, I represent at 1 .the bifurcated or forked portion of a trolley-pole harp, or

a trolley-harp extension, 7 with; either. of I. which my shoe is adapted to be used without distinction. The member-1 is provided with i a pair of arms 2 as usual, and at the outer ends of such-arms are bearings 3.3for an; axle 4. One of the arms 2 andthe axle .4 ap-:

pear also in 'Fig. 2. The axle 4. is adapted.

usually to carry either a trolley wheel or a trolley shoe, being utilized for the latter body 5'and' a re:

the presentinstance.

ThlS shoe comprises a movable runner 6.

The body. 5 has agenerally triangular su- 7 perficial outline, is provided at the bottom with a pair of laterally-extending lugs 7,

. ing laterally on the latter; and said runand at the top with another pair oflater:

ally-extending lugs 8, andrhas a transverse opening or bore '9' therethrough to receive the axle t, a vertical slot 10 therethrough, and a horizontal groove 11 therein. The bore. 9 isbackof or behind the transversevertical center of the body 5, and the rear half of-said opening communicates with the forward portion of the slot 10 intermediate of theends of said slot. In other words, the'bore Q-andthe slot 10 are in open communication=witln each other. The lugs 7 are-in-and behind the vertical, transverse, central plane of the body 5, while the lugs 8i'areforward of'such plane; The groove 11 is in the longitudinal'center ofithe top of thebody 5. The body 5 is of a thickness which enables it to be received between the arms 2and the bearings 3, and saidbody may-be provided at the ends of ner-als'o has on the bottom in' the longitudinal center thereof, at a polnt nearer the rear th'anthe front end, a downwardly-exten dingtongue 14:, which is receivable in the slot 10, 'and has a semi-circular recess 15 in the front edge thereof. The recess 15' has the sameradius as that of the-bore 9, and coincides withthe corresponding portion ofjsaid bo're, when said tongue is introduced to its full. length in said slot. The runner 6 is providedon top with a pair of guide wings 16, as'is customary, the overhead trolley wire being received between said wings and 111 the bottom of'the-groove'formed'thereby. The runner 6 is united with the body. 5

by introducing the tongue 14 into the slot 10fi0mab'ove, and thrusting said tongue downwardly until, the rib 1.3 enters the groove 11 and, the bottom of'said runner comes-to rest on the top of saidbody. It iSjIlGCBSSfiITY, of course, that the-tongue14 be inserted in the slot 10 in such a manner as properly to position the runner 6 relative tothe body '5' and the recess 15' relatijvetov the bore 9. The runner'6'is now firmly seated on the body 5, andthe recess 15 is inexact registrywith thebore 9, so

that the shoe isready to be received'between.

the bearings3 and to be mounted oncthe axle- 4'. I

When the body 5 is properly introduced betweenthe arms Qofthe member 1, with the hub,of said body between the. bearings 3 ofsaidarms, each of the latter is betweenthe lugs 7 and 8 on the corresponding side of said, body, said arms having a downward and forward direction under normal conditions. The axle 4: is thrust through the bearings 3 and the bore 9 and recess 15, it being remembered that said recess' 1s IlOWlIl exact ahnement with the corresp'ondlng portion 0f'SEt1d'bOI6., The tongue- 14 is thus locked in place in the slot 10 by the axle 4, so that the runner 6 is held securely in positionon the body 5, and any movement of said runner indcpendently'of saidbodyisprevented by said axle and the parts engaged thereby, and by the rib 13V and the grooved part 11 of the body. Thusit is seen that the;runner 6 is locked to the-body 5, and the latter ismounted invpo sition for use, by and through the medium; of the axle 4.

The lugs 7, being below the'arms 2, limitthe amount of movement which it is possible forthe shoe to have on the axle kin one: direction, and the lugs-8, beingabove said arms, limit the amount of' movement of said shoe on said axle in the other direction The lugs 8 in the present example are-at the top of the body-5 and-parallel withsaid top. w

Upon withdrawing the axle- 4, the shoe is released fromthe member 1 and can-be removed therefrom, and the run'nerh is un'- locked-and may be lifted out of engagement with the body 5 and taken therefrom.

The body 5 may be cut away; in eaclrside adjacent to the forward arcu'ate edgethereof; as represented at 17 in Fig; 2', for the purpose of lightening said body' and savingmaterial.

By constructing the shoe in two parts I am able to remove and replace the runner 6, and substitute another therefor, with the utmost facility, wherefore a great saving-is effected, as hereinbefore pointed'out and can readily be understood.

It has not been deemed necessary to show in the drawings either the trolley pole or the,

overhead trolley wire to which reference has been made, inasmuch as they are so oldandwell known.

Theterm axle as ,herein'employed ,isintended to include and cover any axialor pivotal connection between the shoe and its sup"- port, provided the same be capable ofl'ocking together the runner and' body' offthe" shoe, while at the same'time supporting the shoe or serving as an axle therefor;

The-lugs, 7 "and 8 permit the-shoe to rock" on its axle to whatever extent may benecessary to enable the shoe to accommodate itself to the vertical undulations'in theoverhead, wire, and slide beneath such wire-to the best? advantage and with'the least'li ability' of leaving the same, and at, the same time said lugs prevent said, shoe from turning completely over or rocking'on said-axle to'an extent, when out of contact with said wire, that would interfere with the engagement of the shoe with the wire or decrease the facility with which such engagement could be brought about.

Provision is made in this shoe for affordthe old runner 6 and replace it with the new runner, and return said body to its position between said bearings and reinsert said axle.

Cotter-pins may be employed to retain the axle 4 in place in the bearings 3, there being one such pin at each end of said axle. One of these cotter-pins appears at 18 in Figs. 1 and 2.

More or less change in the size, shape, construction, and arrangement of some or all of the parts of this invention may be made, without departing from the nature thereof or exceeding the scope of what is claimed.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. As an improved article of manufacture, a trolley shoe comprising separable sections, adapted to be mounted on the axle, of a trolley-pole harp, and removable means to secure such sections together.

2. As an improved article of manufacture, a trolley shoe comprising a body adapted to be mounted on the axle of a trolley pole harp, and a separable runner mounted on said body, said runner having wings at the s1 es.

3. As an improved article of manufacture, a trolley shoe comprising a body adapted to be mounted on an axle, and a separable runner adapted to be secured to said body by means of said axle.

4. As an improved article of manufacture,

a trolley shoe comprising a body adapted to be mounted on the axle of a trolley pole harp, and having lugs to limit the movement of said body on said axle relative to said harp, and a separable runner adapted to be secured to said body by meansof said axle.

5. The combination, in a trolley shoe, with a body bored to receive an axle, and slotted to receive a tongue, of a runner provided with a tongue to enter the slot in said body,

said tongue being recessed to receive said axle when the tongue is'in place and the axle is in the bore in said body.

6. The combination, in a trolley shoe, with a body bored to receive an axle, and slotted to receive a tongue, of a runner provided with a tongue to enter the slot in said shoe, which tongue is recessed to receive said axle when said tongue is in place and the axle is in the bore in said shoe, contiguous surfaces of the shoe and runner having interengag ing grooved and ribbed parts.

The combination, in a trolley shoe, with a body bored to receive an axle, and slotted to receive a tongue, of 'a runner provided with a tongue to enter the slot in said body, sald tongue being recessed to receive said axle when the tongue is in place and the axle is in the bore in said body, contiguous surfaces of the body and runner having interen gaging grooved and ribbed parts, and said body being provided with lugs to limit the movement thereof on said axle relative to the supporting membersfor said axle.

8. The combination, with a bifurcated trolley-pole member, provided with an axle, of a .shoe mounted on said axle, said shoe comprising a body which is bored, to receive said axle, and slotted, the bore and slot therein intersecting, and a runner having a recessed tongue to enter said slot and be engaged by said axle.

9. The combination, with a bifurcated trolley-pole member provided with an axle, of a shoe adapted t o be mounted on said axle, said shoe comprislng a body and a.run-

ner, the latter being separable from the former and held in place thereon by said axle.

WALTER F. FREEMAN. Witnesses:

VICTORIA R. SoLT,

F. A. Coma 

